How much does size really matter ?

Noisy Neighbour


a question to the more experienced out there
 
  ...would it be basically possible to achieve good, "transportable" mixes in a room sized about 11x7 feet ?
Proper room-tuning, bass-trapping, absorbing, diffusing ect... plus the appropriate nearfieldmonitors provided of course.  ...or can I forget about the idea rightaway and spend time, money and energie more efficient? (e.g. looking for a new location)
 
I'm only talking acoustics, not techniques...
 
Some serious advise would be highly appreciated here!
Thanks in advance!
 
Daniel

Most definitely, Daniel. The Auralex guys will give you advice for free based on filling out their form here: http://www.auralex.com/praf/default.asp
 
I've had excellent results in room sizes like you mention using just a good set of nearfields and ARC room correction from IK Multimedia. Add in some stuff from Auralex and you should be in good shape for a fair price.
 
I have 2 real studio's that I own plus a little home studio in my house. The real rooms were made to be control rooms using proper specs, so they have all the right stuff and are large. The little one in my home is 12x12, has NO foam or room correction other than ARC and is loaded up with gear that looks like a music store. Guitars hanging off the walls, sliding glass door, big screen TV, drum kit and of course not the best situation. However, with just ARC alone and good monitors, everything I do in the little 12x12 room translates perfectly in my car as well as the big control rooms in my other studios. 12x12 isn't that far off from your 11x7...add in all the junk I have in here plus the glass and everything else being...well...wrong...lol...and my room isn't ideal either. But it sure does work great and I've had no problems. Good luck in whatever you decide. :)
 
-Danny

I would think your room would work pretty well if you have the desk facing one of the short walls.  A rectangular room like yours, from what I understand, works better than a square room like my 10x10.

  I would answer a simple YES.... to the topic question and the one in the OP as well. 

 
...back on the forum after a hard day at the office...
 
I'm busy calculating costs at the moment (bying or building absorbers and basstraps) which also brings me to the montoring situation.
I'm mixing on a pair of Yamaha HS 50 M at the moment in my bigger living room (frontside is two large windows, if i would put absorbers there, ...no more daylight)
The Yamaha HS 50 M have backfirering basswoofers, where I could imagine in a small room frontfirering basswoofers(KRK-type) would help, since the speakers would need to be quite close to the wall... is that right or wrong thinking?
 
thanks for all of your advices so far...
 
Daniel
 

Daniel, you might try experimentally blocking the ports on the Yamahas. Sounds like a weird suggestion, but the only downside is losing a little low-end response, which you can afford.

I used to have a pair of nearfields that featured two ports on each speaker. The manufacturer suggested blocking one of the two ports to smooth bass response. I tried it, and sure enough it worked. I tried it with both socks and acoustical foam - the socks worked better. Heavy wool socks were best. I suggest you wash the socks first.

It's all a compromise unless you can build a room from scratch. My listening position is also too close to the center of the room, but that's still better than having the speakers next to the wall.

That's because my middle-of-the-room problems are caused by room resonances. I can measure and predict which specific frequencies are going to give me trouble, whereas bass buildup between speakers and wall is broad-spectrum and therefore more likely to have an adverse impact on my mixes.